Max Verstappen claimed his fourth consecutive F1 Japanese GP victory with a composed, clinical drive in tricky conditions at Suzuka, holding off relentless pressure from McLaren’s Lando Norris.
But it wasn’t just the on-track pace that had people talking. It was the wheel-to-wheel incident at the pit exit that brought the fire.
What happened at the pitlane exit during the F1 Japanese GP?
McLaren attempted the undercut with Norris as the race reached its strategic crescendo, but Red Bull responded immediately. The result? Verstappen and Norris emerged side-by-side, sparks flying—literally and figuratively—as Norris was squeezed onto the grass.
“I wasn’t even trying to race Max, I was just trying to cut the grass, like he said,” Norris joked after the race. “Didn’t even know he was there, actually. So no, nothing. He had the position and he had the right to do what he did, so fair play.”
Norris doubled down later, saying, “It’s racing, I think. He was still ahead, it kind of squeezes into one, and Max is the last guy I expect to give me any space, you know—in a good way, in a racing way—so nothing more than that.” The moment sparked radio frustration from Norris at the time, but any hint of controversy fizzled under the weight of mutual respect post-race. For Norris, it was clear: Verstappen didn’t overstep the mark; he just played it hard, as expected.
Norris: No room for errors
Despite the McLaren’s evident high-speed pace, Verstappen never blinked. He kept Norris just out of DRS range, a margin of mere tenths of a second that proved decisive. “It was a flat-out race from start to finish—tough, but just not enough today,” Norris admitted. “They were quick, and no mistakes like I said, so he deserved it.”
Asked if there was anything he’d have done differently in strategy, Norris mused: “I probably should have tried to undercut, I think… but then you’re at risk of Safety Cars and other things. So it’s easy to say, ‘Yeah, you should have done that.’ But if I box three laps earlier and the Safety Car comes out, then we look stupid.”
The Championship picture begins to clarify
Norris’ strong weekend wasn’t quite enough to deny Verstappen another win, but it did reinforce the sense that this year’s championship fight could finally deliver on the promise of a close three-way battle.
“I still believe that we’re going to have some good races and we can go toe-to-toe and that some days he’ll come out on top and others I will,” Norris said.
When asked if this now feels like a three-way title fight between himself, Verstappen, and Piastri, Norris didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, seems like it. I mean, I still think at times we’re going to see some more competition from the guys behind… but at the minute, I think McLaren, Red Bull, and probably between us three, we’re doing a better job than the rest.”
Mutual respect in the trenches
One of the most telling moments came when Norris was asked whether he was surprised by Verstappen’s relentless pace and control despite Red Bull seemingly on the back foot in recent weeks.
“I feel like I get a lot of questions like, ‘Are you surprised by Max?'” Norris said. “But I don’t think there is a reason to be… I know how good he is. I know what he’s capable of doing. So I would say nothing is a surprise anymore.”
The two have shared the paddock since their teenage years in junior categories. That history is now translating into a budding rivalry. It is marked not by bitterness, but by deep-rooted respect and a shared understanding of the level required to win in modern Formula 1.
As the F1 circus heads to Bahrain next, the questions are no longer about whether McLaren can challenge Red Bull, because they already are. The only question now is whether they can convert pace into wins, and whether Norris can match Verstappen not just on speed, but on ruthlessness when it counts most.
